UPDATE 1/16/15 – YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST and now here is the first background casting call for the upcoming Tina Fey/Margot Robbie movie:

Elizabeth Gabel is looking for East Indian, African, Asian and European background talent for a large embassy party scene shooting in Albuquerque on Feb. 3rd. Email a photo, with height, weight and phone number to funhouseextras@gmail.com. Title your email, “Embassy”

***NEW MEXICO RESIDENTS ONLY***

The Hollywood Reporter has been following for months that…

Paramount has picked up The Taliban Shuffle, an adaptation of journalist Kim Barker’s wartime memoir as a starring vehicle for Tina Fey.

Fey is attached to star in and produce the adaptation with her former Saturday Night Live boss and 30 Rock cohort Lorne Michaels.

And as discussed on the air just weeks ago with the 94Rock Morning Show, OHI has received tips that Fey and her co-star Margot Robbie (The Wolf of Wallstreet, Pan Am) may very well bring their “Taliban Shuffle” out to shoot in New Mexico.

Well now it’s official, at least by our standards. Early word on the Albuquerque, NM production of the weighty comedy is that filming is scheduled to begin, January 2015.

More on the plot: “The memoir tells of Barker’s arrival as a fish out of water in Kabul, filing stories about militants, being a woman in wartime Iraq and Pakistan, dealing with boredom interspersed with dashes of violence, and the promiscuous war-correspondent culture.”

Joining the original matriarch and patriarch of National Lampoon’s first family of Vacations, the latest versions of the oft’ re-cast Griswold children have been revealed.

As recently discussed on-air, Audrey and Rusty have gone and grown-up. The role of Rusty, previously made famous by Anthony Michael Hall, Jason Lively and Johnny Galecki will be reprised by none other than comedy superstar, Ed Helms. In the Vacation reboot, now in production, Rusty has married up nicely, landing Christina Applegate.

The only official word on filming is out of Atlanta, Georgia here, but OneHeadlightInk.com has it on good authority that filming will be shared with New Mexico. Leads that the production is headed this way are bolstered by this casting call out of the New Mexico film office, touting a WARNER BROS. FEATURE FILM CASTING FOR PAID EXTRAS. Check out the entire post here.

It is for certain that the present day Griswold’s, rumored to be led by Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo, will hit the big screen once again come 2015, produced by New Line Cinema, a unit of Warner Brothers Entertainment…

On the suspicious side, I’m hoping for a turn toward this becoming nothing but a major publicity stunt. Stunt or not, it’s time for a public outcry that the show come back in some way, shape or form. You can’t just let the series die a lonely, back country death.

As for the possible hit to New Mexico television production, take heart in knowing that television productions are alive & well in the state. In addition to the CW series, The Messengers, WGN’s Manhattan and the return of NBC’s, The Night Shift, James McGill is hard at work in the #BreakingBad prequel, Better Call Saul. And at least one (television series pilot) is rumored to be gearing up to shoot right here in the Q, while the relocated production of USA Network’s, Dig is set to begin filming within weeks.

B.T.dubs, this is not the first kink Longmire the series has encountered…it wasn’t an easy row to hoe to get to production rolling in the first place, as its home setting, Wyoming, proved to be less film friendly than New Mexico. So, here’s to finding a more Longmire friendly network for the beloved NM series.

SANTA FE— Residents of New Mexico have the opportunity to enter a filmmaking contest in which the winner receives $5,000 to produce a short film about human space exploration. The New Mexico Film Foundation, and space industry experts including astronaut Bruce McCandless II, the first person to walk in space untethered to a space vehicle, will evaluate the submissions and choose a winner.

“New Mexico has always been on the cutting edge of space exploration, and involved in the development of America’s Space Program,” said New Mexico Film Foundation President Dirk Norris. “I believe the stories New Mexico filmmakers tell about this exciting topic will be inspiring to everyone who sees them.”

Sponsoring the contest is Lockheed Martin, the prime contractor building Orion, NASA’s next generation spacecraft for human exploration of deep space. Orion’s first test flight, Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1), will occur this year, sending Orion 3,600 miles beyond low Earth orbit, and returning at a speed of approximately 20,000 mph for a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. EFT-1 will provide engineers with data about systems critical to crew safety in order to validate spacecraft designs before it begins carrying humans to new destinations in deep space. Lockheed Martin will share the winning film as part of its EFT-1 public outreach.

The submission process will begin on July 15th will be announced on August 29th filmmaker will work with Lockheed Martin to complete their film no later than November 15th and close on August 15th. The winning selection. You must be a New Mexico resident to apply. The winning filmmaker will work with Lockheed Martin to complete their film no later than November 15th.

Never say die to the folks behind the upcoming Albuquerque Breaking Bad Fan Fest. Like the Kingpin and his devoted protégé, Miguel Jaramillo and Jennie Rexer are on a quest, a quest to bring the Breaking Bad universe what it truly needs to thrive – and that is a place to convene, revel and rejoice in all the splendor that is Breaking Bad mania.

And unlike any old venue or setting that may house masses for weekend or week-long festivities, such as Star-trek conventions, or general comic festivals, the ALBUQUERQUE BREAKING BAD FAN FEST will take place in the home of Vince Gilligan’s masterpiece.

That’s right, the happy accident that led to Albuquerque becoming a “central character” in the show, leads all roads back to the ultimate Breaking Bad mecca – the only place in the world where tourists from all over the globe can regularly be seen snapping pics at the John B. Robert dam, sitting in a booth at Twisters, in front of Octopus Car Wash, in front of the “White House”, even touring around the city just like the stars!

Come November 2014 these “Baddies” and many more can make the most out of their fandom at the ultimate “on location” fan fest.

“We’re happy to announce plans for an Albuquerque Breaking Bad Fan Fest are moving forward! We were unable to reach our Kickstarter goal, but the Fest will go on! Please stay tuned for more info on this page and www.ABQBreakingBadFest.com. Save the date: November 7th & 8th, 2014!”
–Jennie and Miguel

If you’ve worked with OLC before, be sure to UPDATE your existing account:

Log-in to your account, Click Edit, and click the areas that need to be updated; Contact info., RECENT photos*, etc. You will be notified of the OPTION to pay for an ‘active’ account but it is NOT necessary to be considered for work with OLC.

*You should be the only person in the photo and should not be wearing hats/sunglasses/etc.

OLC will NOT be able to book anyone who does not have an updated talent profile and they will be deleting old, outdated photos/accounts that are not updated. UPDATE! UPDATE!

“Looking forward to working with our awesome NM Talent again soon!” -OLC

To sign up for a new account with OLC click here! – AGAIN, there is no charge for a standard casting profile with OLC, you will be offered a paid upgrade – but it is NOT necessary to be considered for work.

As far as what the project(s) may be…OHI knows that several feature films and a television pilot are headed our way (in addition to the projects currently rolling)…as discussed here.

Santa Fe Independent Film Festival’s submission deadline is fast approaching submit your film today for a chance to be a part of one of MovieMaker Magazine’s “Coolest Film Festivals on the Planet” and “50 Festival’s Worth the Entry Fee in 2014”.

Late deadline for entries is July 1st, 2014, final deadline: August 1st, 2014.

“In a Valley of Violence” casting stand-ins for John Travolta, Ethan Hawke, etc. Filming mid – late July – check the roles out here!

Last Chances for Longmire – getting ready to wrap within the next couple of weeks – season three currently airing on A&E on Monday nights – Construction worker types that own pickup trucks robertbaxtercasting[at]gmail.com.

Blood Father Looking for a 5’5″ to 5’6″ strawberry blond or redhead female stand in for tonight and tomorrow night. Email a photo with sizes and PHONE NUMBER to egabel[at]msn.com.

Sicario looking for hispanic children to shoot a scene with Benicio del Toro…click here!

Big, Huge NEWS!
NM Film Foundation announced annual filmmakers grant provided by George RR Martin. Sci-fi, Fantasy genres. 5 page treatment and a 5 page sample script. Information for submissions will be available on June 14 2014. Grant competition runs through September.

Support local economy…with film tourism!
Breaking Bad Fest – for Fans by Fans! Coming this November! GREAT FOR ABQ

Saturday, June 21 The best short films of the 2014 Santa Fe Film Festival will screen at the 4 to 10:00 p.m. at the Albuquerque Railyards’ in the first Yards Craft Beer solstice celebration of 20 New Mexico craft breweries.

Call for entries Taos Shortz Film Fest are NOW OPEN!
http://www.taosshortz.com/

This weekend in Santa Fe, the newly established New Mexico Film Foundation (NMFF) held its first ever “Friendraiser”.

Saturday June 7, 2014 the NMFF board, staff and their event sponsors hosted the gathering of a few hundred filmmakers, friends and fans of film.

The pinnacle of the evening came as NMFF President and Executive Director, Dirk Norris, announced the availability of an annual, $5000 screenwriters grant, made possible by the generous donation of the night’s guest of honor, George R. R. Martin (GRRM).

The prolific author who penned the novels which spawned the hit HBO series, “Game of Thrones” is a Santa Fe resident, known to many locals as the owner of Santa Fe’s own Jean Cocteau Cinema. On Saturday night GRRM expressed his eagerness to see what Sci-fi projects, hopeful local filmmakers will have to offer in the coming years.

“The New Mexico Film Foundation is excited and honored to be working with George in this way,” said Norris, “and appreciate his generosity in helping the independent film community in New Mexico.”

Click through images to enlarge

Screenwriting Grant Details:

$5000 will go to an aspiring screenwriter, annually.

The 2014 submission process will open on June 14th.

Applicants must be a resident of New Mexico, 18 years old and NOT a member of the Writer’s Guild of America.

Scripts must be for a feature length film or original Television Pilot, in the Science Fiction
or Fantasy genres.

The application process will include a 5 page treatment and a 5 page sample script.

Complete information for submissions will be available on the New Mexico Film Foundation website beginning June 14th, 2014.

The submission process will continue until September 15th, 2014. A winner will be announced in in November 2014.

The mission of the New Mexico Film Foundation is to help grow the independent film industry in New Mexico while offering financial support and educational opportunities to New Mexico Independent filmmakers.

The George R.R. Martin screenwriting grant is the first grant the New Mexico Film Foundation has offered.

For more information about the foundation, and to make your tax deductible donation, visit their website at www.nmfilmfoundation.org.

If this is you or someone you know, with availability for the entire shoot, June 23rd to July 27th, send a recent photo, your stats (height, weight, and hair color) and a phone number to robertbaxtercasting[at]gmail.com.

New talent search series to shoot full 13 episode season in Albuquerque this summer.

“The Producer” will invite New Mexican vocal talents to compete for the chance to be given a recording deal with Producer Jean Michel Soupraya and signed to the Management team of Phil Shapiro who is famously known for representing the Jackson Family including Michael and Corey Feldman.

Corine Lewis of Life Beyond the League and Making the Cheerleader will host this contest of vocal talents. Talents from around the state who may have been over looked by larger casting calls due to the sheer volume of contestants might have slipped through the cracks. Jean Michel wants to discover the hidden gem in the heart of small town New Mexico.

Contestants will submit online auditions as well as make live appearances to meet and perform for Corine Lewis and Jean Michel with the top 20 best vocalist in the state being chosen to move through the coaching portion of the TV show. Jean Michel will take each of these top 20 and take them under his wing to learn the ins and outs of not just singing, but self promotion, live performances, and the business of selling tickets and albums. The finalist will perform live in front of New Mexico fans and the final winner will be taken to LA to record a full length album.

This contest is only for New Mexico vocalists, and will be shot entirely in the state of New Mexico.

A JM West Creation, Produced by: UPublic TV and Corine Lewis Enterprises in conjunction with 6 Guns Production Services. A Jim Burleson Production.

After years of being in and out of active development, what was originally set to be the U.S. adaptation of the French Canadian film, Father and Guns – Blood Father is now ramping-up production.

Scripted by Peter Craig (The Town) and Directed by Jean-François Richet (Mesrine), Blood Father is set to star Mel Gibson.

The plot follows the plight of a father (Gibson) attempting to rescue his 17-year-old runaway daughter. After years on the run she’s taken up with a shady older man whose ties to nefarious activities land them both at the center of a spree of violent crimes.

The action/drama is scheduled to begin filming in New Mexico in mid May.

The man who will forever be the bad guy from Ghost, turned mega star portraying a Commander in Chief on ABC’s mega hit series, Scandal is New Mexico bound.

Actor Tony Goldwyn is set to portray the icky, disgusting scourge, Mormon Polygamist Warren Jeffs in the upcoming Lifetime television movie, Outlaw Prophet. Yuck. But hey, the truth or something like it, must be told through film. Look at this year’s Academy Award winner for best picture, 12 Years a Slave.

Subject matter aside, production on the movie based on the New York Times best-selling book, When Men Become Gods will begin in northern New Mexico next month.

The movie is said to detail the rise to “leadership” by Jeffs and the eventual outlaw status he amassed before being taken down by Federal Agents. One can hope that the script will also address the harrowing bravery of the women who fought back against this beast.

UPDATE 10/13/14: Please note that now the facebook page for Good Faith Casting will address and post all casting opportunities from Faith Hibbs-Clark, CSA. Keep up with notices for both New Mexico and Arizona HERE!

Image via Facebook

As we all know, a polarizing political leader can run good businesses out of town and in Arizona where the divisive Jan Brewer eliminated Tax Incentives for film production some professionals were left looking to re-root their expertise and industry ties.

Veteran CSA Faith Hibbs-Clark is one such expert. Setting up house in New Mexico for just about a year now the long time NM fan brings her passion and know-how of all production mediums to the Land of Enchantment, con más ganas.

Already having cast area TV and commercial productions over her first few months open for business, Hibbs’ local casting co., 1 Good Casting is ready to roll on booking New Mexico talent for statewide and cross state jobs.

With long standing ties in both Los Angeles and greater Arizona production, New Mexico stands to gain work for talent in those pools through Hibbs’ network of contacts and professional history.

The award winning casting director tells OHI, “I’m excited to be here and get involved. I look forward to bringing my special brand and way of doing things to a new playing ground. I have high hopes for our new sister office here in New Mexico.” Meet Hibbs and check out the resume here.

Get familiar with Good Faith Casting on their newfacebook page (best place to get and stay connected for work, btw), and stay tuned for project updates, training opportunities and MORE!

ALBUQUERQUE, NM– So many of us grew up watching I Love Lucy throughout the years, and we probably do our best to catch re-runs on TV whenever we get the chance. There is something about the nostalgia of it all that proves irresistible. But I bet that most of us never knew that one of this famous TV show’s beloved stars was actually an Albuquerque talent.

Everybody’s Neighbor: Vivian Vance features the history and popular culture of vaudeville star and actress Vivian Vance, who appeared regularly at Albuquerque Little Theater (ALT) and the KiMo. Vance, who spent part of her young adult life in Albuquerque, eventually won her most endearing role as Ethel Mertz on the TV situation comedy, I Love Lucy. The exhibition will be on view at the Albuquerque Museum from March 29, 2014 – January 31, 2015.

Vivian Roberta Jones, known as “Viv” to her friends and family, was born in 1909 in Cherryvale, Kansas. As a teenager she decided to pursue acting career, against the wishes of her religious mother, Mae. Vivian’s large family eventually moved to Albuquerque and Vivian and her husband Joe Danneck joined the Joneses. She found a job modeling clothes, but in 1930 she defiantly announced that she had landed a role in the racy vaudeville show, Cushman’s Revue, playing at the KiMo Theater. She traveled with the show, then returned to Albuquerque.

Under the guidance of ALT director Kathryn Kennedy O’Connor, Vivian appeared in the theater’s first two seasons. Convinced that she had potential, O’Connor and the theatre held a benefit in 1932 by selling tickets to The Trial of Mary Dugan. Critics raved, writing, “Whether Vivian Vance can make good in New York will be decided next month, but the Albuquerque actress…showed that she can make good before a hometown audience.” With the proceeds, O’Connor sent Vivian to New York to study under actress Eva Le Gallienne.

Soon Vivian started landing chorus roles, eventually graduating to supporting roles in Hooray for What! and Let’s Face it! with Danny Kaye and Eve Arden. In between productions Vivian returned to Albuquerque. Vivian always felt that she owed a debt of gratitude to the people of Albuquerque for supporting her early career, and returned often to appear at the ALT free of charge. By the early 1940s, Vivian was living in New York but had also purchased a small adobe ranch house in Cubero, west of Albuquerque near Grants.

Vivian then moved to California to work on film and theatre projects. While visiting the La Jolla Playhouse in 1951, Desilu Studios producer Desi Arnaz watched Vivian’s amazing performance as Olive Lashbrook in Voice of the Turtle. Convinced that she was perfect for the role of Ethel Mertz in I Love Lucy, Desi Arnaz brought Vivian into the studio for a surprise introduction to his wife and star of the show, Lucille Ball. Because of Vivian’s good looks, impeccable comedic timing and a street-smart sense of how to play to an audience, she shined throughout the run of I Love Lucy. The 1953 episodes brought her an Emmy® Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Series, with additional nominations in 1954, 1956, and 1957.

I Love Lucy secured Vivian Vance’s place in television history. After a wondrous career in theater, film and television, the accomplished actress passed away in 1979. Many of her family members still live in New Mexico, and her sister Lou Ann holds local comedy workshops. Their stories, awards, photographs, and memorabilia contribute greatly to the exhibition, celebrating a small-town girl who hit the big-time.

Public Programs

The Museum is excited to be offering the following programs based around the Everybody’s Neighbor: Vivian

Programs will celebrate the life of Albuquerque resident and actress Vivian Vance, known for her role as Ethel Mertz on the sitcom I Love Lucy.

Music in the lobby from 2-5 p.m. by Swing Duo, featuring Cole Porter tunes sung by Vivian Vance. Enjoy a short montage of scenes from plays Vance appeared in, performed by the Vance Players, and introductory remarks by Henry Avery, Director of Albuquerque Little Theatre at 3 p.m. Get creative with an art activity in the Museum School from 2-4 p.m. Free event.

Performance: Vance Players
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
11 a.m.

Vivian Vance’s career included theatre performances at the Albuquerque Little Theatre, summer theatre festivals and Broadway. The Vance Players will perform a 30-minute montage of scenes from plays that featured Vance. Free program.

In honor of the Museum’s Vivian Vance exhibition, come celebrate Albuquerque’s current funny ladies. There will be performances by music comedy trio JeeZ LaWeeZ and local stand-up comediennes. This program is sponsored by Las Ventanas Homes.

Performance: Vance Players
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
11 a.m.

Vivian Vance’s career included theatre performances at the Albuquerque Little Theatre, summer theatre festivals and Broadway. The Vance Players will perform a 30-minute montage of scenes from plays that featured Vance. Free program.

The Albuquerque Museum and Casa San Ysidro is a division of the Cultural Services Department, City of Albuquerque, Richard J. Berry, Mayor. The Museum is located at 19th and Mountain Road NW (in Old Town);

For the first time ever we’re also taking nominations for most philanthropic Film & Entertainment individual -or- organization, and MVPs in Film & Entertainment Resources (casting directors, photographers, producers, instructors, etc.)